


after the dark

by spiritshipping



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: (and maybe an omake later), Denial of Feelings, M/M, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Post-Canon, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-15 21:17:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16940895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritshipping/pseuds/spiritshipping
Summary: “You're willing to risk a heart attack just to see me? If it wasn't so dangerous, I'd say it was romantic.”ryo and edo share a meal, romantic tension not(?) included.





	after the dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [datastorm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/datastorm/gifts).



> big thanks to theo ( datastorm on ao3 ) for helping me with get ideas for this fic and reviving it, as well as proofreading for me! c:

“Marufuji Ryo is in the lobby. He says he wants to see you but won't give a reason…”

 

“Let him in.” It wasn't as if he could kick Ryo out. Well, he could if he really wanted to, but Ryo had only just gotten clearance to stay home without a caretaker a week ago. The keywords being stay home. He still wasn't allowed to do anything strenuous. Edo was foolish to believe that Ryo would comply. He’d been itching to get back some normalcy ever since Edo reunited with him at the hospital.

 

There was a pause, but she still kept Edo on the line. She hadn’t even put him on hold; he could still hear her talking to Ryo. She usually hung up right after she received instructions from Edo. Her voice was low when she picked the phone back up and said, “I think he's good for you.”

 

“What?” It was all he could do not to shout his response. They weren't even dating; they never even considered the thought! Sure, Ryo welcomed Edo home every night, they spent most of their free time together, and they shared a bed, but...those were just the circumstances while Ryo was recovering!

 

“I apologize for presuming, but in the past week, you've seemed to be in much better spirits. I thought that was because of Marufuji.”

 

Better spirits? He suddenly felt self-conscious. Edo was fine with coming off as strict to his staff; in fact, those were the conditions in which they thrived, but he didn't want them to think he was depressed or angry…

 

Edo hadn’t responded, so his receptionist continued. “I mean, I'm glad you've found someone that makes you happy. I haven't seen you so lighthearted since--”

 

“--since when?” Just as she faltered, Edo interjected. He hadn't been happy since his father was killed? Hadn’t been happy since he found out his foster father was his father's murderer? Hadn’t been happy since he left said foster father to die in a fire? Edo wanted to say all of those things, because really, no matter how kind his staff members were, they had no business getting this involved with his personal life.

 

He heard the door open, so Edo continued, “He's here now. Thank you for your assistance.” With that, he hung up the phone and looked up to meet his roommate’s eyes. He noticed the containers Ryo was holding, but chose not to comment on it. “You're willing to risk a heart attack just to see me? If it wasn't so dangerous, I'd say it was romantic.”

 

A second passed, then another, then Edo realized Ryo wasn't going to respond. Edo expected Ryo to bite back, but instead he looked embarrassed. Had Edo really hit the nail on the head…? He didn't like where that train of thought was leading, so he broke the silence.

 

“Well? What is it? I’m in the middle of work--”

 

“It’s your lunch break.”

 

Edo glanced at the clock. He’d been working non-stop since morning, then. In a rare occurrence, Edo wasn’t sure what to say, so Ryo beat him to the punch. “I brought you lunch.”

 

Naturally, that was what the containers were for, but Edo still had a hard time comprehending it. Ryo had gone to the trouble of making him lunch and going to his office to deliver it personally, even though he was still technically on bedrest. “You’re not supposed to strain yourself.”

 

“You’re not supposed to skip lunch.”

 

They were at an impasse. He knew that Ryo was just going to stand there until Edo responded. If Edo conceded, he would lose. If Edo didn’t concede, Ryo would give him the food anyway, or even worse, just stand there until Edo _did_ concede.

 

Edo pointed to the empty chair in front of his desk. “Neither are you.” This wouldn’t be the first time he was forced to concede to Ryo, after all.

 

Ryo took his seat, placing the two containers on the desk while Edo moved his paperwork aside. Edo opened the container, placing the lid to the side. When Edo first learned Ryo could cook, he was surprised. He didn’t seem like the type. Now, looking at the delicately arranged food in the container, Edo realized that cooking wasn’t something Ryo did just out of obligation. He wanted to comment on that, compliment his hard work, even, but all that came out was, “You didn’t have to come all this way.”

 

The way Ryo kept his gaze on Edo made him feel like he was being analyzed.

 

“You could’ve had my driver deliver it here.” It would have been an odd request, but Edo would have paid double.

 

“I know.”

 

“But you didn’t.”

 

“I didn’t.”

 

Edo looked at Ryo for a moment, then down to the food in front of him, before looking back to Ryo again. “...Could it be that you miss sharing meals with me? To go from me making every meal for us to suddenly eating all alone, you must be lonely.” He was teasing as he normally did, but Ryo didn’t respond to that, either. Instead, he quickly took a bite of his food. The thought of Ryo having such an attachment to Edo stirred up feelings he didn’t want to acknowledge. He followed Ryo’s lead and took a bite of his own food.

 

He knew from their time in the dimension world that Ryo was a good cook, able to make something good out of even the scraps they found in desolation, but it had been a while since he’d tasted Ryo’s cooking. It was the first time he’d tasted something Ryo cooked with real ingredients. Since Ryo had been released, Edo had taken care of cooking for Ryo to make sure that Ryo wouldn’t work himself too hard. Edo was able to navigate his way through the kitchen, but out of the two of them, Ryo was more of a chef than Edo.

 

“I hate to praise you when you’re specifically disobeying your doctor, but this is incredible.”

 

“Incredible?”

 

Hearing the word repeated back made his face heat up in embarrassment. Edo chose his words carefully, always making sure to say just enough to convey what he wanted to say while hiding any underlying feelings. His entire life was a lonely and harsh climb to the top; he couldn’t afford to wear his heart on his sleeve. But he felt like he was doing that right now, over a simple compliment about food of all things. “I’m not going to repeat myself.” He cleared his throat, glancing over to his computer screen so he wouldn’t have to look Ryo in the eyes. Of course, the messages piled up even during what most people would consider a lunch break. “But don’t take that as an excuse to do whatever you want. You still have to take care of yourself.”

 

Ryo nodded. Edo knew that Ryo understood, but he hated how passive he seemed to be about it. No, it wasn’t that. Ryo didn’t say things he didn’t mean, and he’d never explicitly lied to Edo. Edo knew from watching Ryo that he really was taking better care of himself. What Edo truly hated was how much he cared; how he seemed more like a nagging mother than a friend (if that’s what they could be considered at this point). He wondered if Ryo realized Edo’s true intentions.

 

Somewhere along that train of thought, his expression must have changed, because Ryo was looking at him with concern he hadn’t seen since the dimension world, when Edo woke from a nightmare. He forced himself to make a neutral expression, though he couldn’t quite figure out what expression he wore a few moments prior.

 

“I was lost without you.”

 

“What?”

 

“...After you died. I was angry, lost, and knew I was going to die regardless.” _That’s why I didn’t take care of myself then_ , he seemed to say.

 

Edo’s voice lacked its usual confidence when he responded, “I’m sorry.”

 

Ryo raised an eyebrow at that, though Edo could tell Ryo was more worried about Edo’s response than anything. “That’s not what I meant. You did what you could, remember?”

 

Ryo remembered Edo’s words. In hindsight, it wasn’t surprising -- those were his dying words -- but every time Ryo showed hints that he truly cared about Edo as a person, Edo couldn’t help feeling surprised. No one had cared about him to this extent since Saio (but it felt different with Ryo). That was, if Edo wasn’t seeing this all through rose-tinted glasses -- which he tried so hard not to do ever again.

 

“That’s…” He wasn’t sure what he was trying to say. It wasn’t true? How could he deny his own dying words? In that situation, he was doing all he could do. If he hadn’t gone so far to protect Echo, it might not have happened in the first place, but then Amon would have gone farther unchecked, and--

 

“...Edo.”

 

“...What?”

 

“It’s okay, Edo.”

 

Even if Edo hadn’t made much of an effort to hide it, Ryo noticed how he’d fallen into his own dangerous thoughts and immediately pulled him out of it. They knew each other so well without really knowing each other at all. The fact that they were sitting here together now, having a conversation like this, Edo could only chalk it up to that word he had such a hard time saying anymore, so instead he said, “I don’t know if it’s bold or stupid of you to say that when you’ve just been released from the hospital due to heart disease.”

 

Ryo shrugged. “Probably both.”

 

It didn’t take much longer before the two of them fell into a more comfortable silence as they ate their meals. It was strange just how comfortable this became for Edo -- comforting, even. Ryo more or less admitted that he was lonely eating without Edo, and perhaps that was why Edo was even more inclined than usual to work through lunch today.

 

He had spent the last few weeks working from home so he could take care of Ryo; maybe he had gotten used to spending mealtimes with him. After all, it wasn’t as if he had them properly scheduled before. Just as he had gotten used to spending his nights sharing a bed with Ryo. At least he wasn’t alone in the sentiment.

 

It didn’t have to mean anything. They could stay like this. For some reason, the thought was a bit disappointing to Edo, but it was better than losing Ryo entirely.

 

Without realizing, time had passed so quickly that he only had a few minutes before his lunch break ended. Ryo must have realized it too, as he already started packing up the empty containers to take home.

 

“Thank you for the lunch date, Ryo.” Edo stood, wiping his desk down before moving his papers back to their proper place.

 

Ryo either didn’t notice or didn’t care about the cheeky grin on Edo’s face, because without skipping a beat, he simply replied, “We should do this again sometime.”

 

Edo didn’t know why that flustered him so much, but he took a breath and forced the feeling down. “Of course. We can’t have you getting lonely, after all.”

 

They were both still for a moment, not knowing when to -- or both reluctant to -- make the first move. Ryo didn’t want to go and Edo didn’t want him to go. Which was foolish, considering that Edo would be home in a matter of hours. Still, they stayed like that, staring at each other, and Edo didn’t even notice how Ryo was getting closer and so was Edo until Ryo’s lips pressed against his…

 

...cheek.

 

Edo paused. He shouldn’t be surprised, considering they’ve never even claimed to be friends. More than anything, though, Edo was left disappointed, while Ryo’s face was bright red, as if this was the most daring thing he’d ever done. Not that Edo could say he was much better.

 

“I--”

 

Before Ryo could even start talking, Edo pulled him back down, kissing him on the lips, lingering for just a moment before standing up straight.

 

“Goodbye, Ryo.” With that, Edo started walking to the door, Ryo following behind a moment after. Ryo didn’t even thank Edo for holding the door for him; he was still in shock. He only recovered when he noticed that Edo was still walking alongside him.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I thought you had work to do.”

 

Edo stopped in his tracks, feeling his face grow hot. Ryo had turned the tables on him without even realizing it. Ryo managed the feat so many times, it infuriated Edo, but at the same time he couldn’t help finding _that_ alluring and _that_ infuriated Edo, too. He took a moment to compose himself, putting on an easy smirk before replying, “Yeah, it’s right here.”

 

Ryo stared at Edo before looking around the corridor and back to Edo, bewildered. “There’s nothing here. This is just a hallway.”

 

Edo huffed, lightly tapping a finger on Ryo’s chest. “Do I have to spell it out? I mean _you_.”

 

Ryo’s expression didn’t change. In fact, he looked more confused. “...Are you feeling alri--”

 

“--I’m fine.” Edo clenched his jaw, repressing the urge to shout his feelings at Ryo. Not that he would understand. Instead, he sighed. “I’ll see you at home.”

 

With that, Edo headed back to his office, leaving a very baffled Ryo in the middle of the corridor.  


End file.
